Porsche turns the 700-hp 911 GT2 RS into the track car it deserves to be

Porsche introduced the all-new 2020 911 at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, but it’s not done updating the current model. It will release a sexy Speedster in early 2019, and it unveiled a Clubsport version of the 911 GT2 RS — the most powerful production 911 ever made — alongside the new model in Los Angeles.

Sheathed in frenetic bodywork and wielding a bludgeon of an engine, the regular 911 GT2 RS is the kind of car that puts a shakedown on every other track day whip. Of all the 911 versions Porsche has made in the last two decades, the GT2 is by far the least forgiving. That being said, Porsche claims the latest model has been tamed. Tell us, does 700 horsepower and rear wheel drive sound tame to you? Borrowing the 3.8-liter, flat-six engine from the 911 Turbo S, the GT2 RS turns up the heat to 700 horses and 553 pound-feet of torque. The only transmission available is Porsche’s seven-speed dual-clutch unit, which might irritate purists but undeniably leads to faster acceleration figures and lap times.

Porsche estimates a 0-to-60-mph sprint of 2.7 seconds, but given 911 Turbo S models (with 120 fewer horsepower) have been clocked at 2.7 seconds by independent sources, we’d wager the GT2 RS is being underrated. It lapped the Nurburgring track in Germany in 6 minutes and 47.3 seconds. The last big number is the GT2’s top speed: 211 mph. That’s 6 mph higher than the Turbo S.

Ensuring the GT2 RS stays cool is a new water injection system (similar to that of the BMW M4 GTS). And helping the supercar stay planted is a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires with 325-section width at the rear (the widest rubber ever fit to a production 911). For those who want even more lunacy, Porsche offers a $31,000 Weissach package that cuts 40 pounds from the car via carbon anti-roll bars, magnesium wheels, and a carbon fiber trunk lid.

1 of 7

The Clubsport version (pictured above) of the GT2 RS unveiled at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show turns the dial up a notch. It was designed for the track, it’s not street-legal, and it comes ready to race thanks to a built-in roll cage, a single bucket seat, and a six-point safety harness. The carbon fiber steering wheel is sourced from the GT3 R, and the interior has been stripped to reduce weight, but Porsche nonetheless built the Clubsport with convenience features like air-conditioning and power-operated mirrors. Mechanically, the Clubsport and the standard GT2 RS are identical.

The Porsche 911 GT2 RS costs $294,250, though you’re too late if you haven’t ordered one yet. It sold out in just over two months, according to British magazine Autocar. The 200 examples of the GT2 RS Clubsport Porsche will make are still available as of writing. Pricing starts at $478,000 excluding taxes, shipping, and import fees. For the ultimate evolution of the GT2 RS, enthusiasts should get in line for the chance to buy the heritage-laced, track-only 935 that’s limited to just 77 examples worldwide.

Worried about the threat of rising gas prices, Ford will add the F-150 to its growing portfolio of electrified vehicles. It is currently developing a hybrid F-150, and it will release an electric version of the next-generation truck.

The 2019 Detroit Auto Show was the quietest edition of the event in recent memory, but that doesn't mean nothing significant happened inside the Cobo Center. Here are the new cars and concepts we saw at the show.

Tesla has announced plans to trim its workforce by seven percent, and it will end the referral program that rewards customers who help it sell cars. These measures are ways to cut costs and boost profits.

Many companies talk about self-driving cars, but Lyft and Aptiv are already using a fleet of them to transport paying customers in Las Vegas. Hop in for a close look at the tech of autonomous cars, and the challenges they face.

The state of Michigan approved the use of digital license plates on motor vehicles registered in the state. Reviver Auto, the manufacturer of the Rplate connected car platform, worked with Michigan's Department of State to pass the bill.

Every few years, someone tries to sell a three-wheeled vehicle to Americans. Historically, it hasn’t gone very well. We’ve got our suspicions about why people don’t buy trikes, and they boil down to this: a trike is just not a real…